Blame the first Monday Night Football game of the season. Blame the Trop. Blame the fact that it was Monday, if you must, but a paltry 26,907 attended last night’s Yankees and Rays, a battle of who will win the AL East, and clearly two dominating teams for the postseason.

This isn’t trying to pile it on more than a wonder as to what is different this year than in 2008 when the Rays came out of nowhere to capture the AL East? The situation is the same, and yet so different: no one really expects the Rays to compete with the big budget behemoths in the Yankees or the Red Sox, but this year, the club can point back to that stellar run in 2008, and ask, “What the…?.”

Consider...

The match-up last night pitted two outstanding pitchers in C.C. Sabathia and David Price

On Sept. 15 of 2008, in the midst of the Division chase, the Rays played the Red Sox in front of 29,772 on a Monday

The next day, the Rays played the Sox in front of 32,079

Maybe we shouldn’t be all that surprised. After all, when the Rays played the Yankees on Tues. Sept 2 of 2008, the only drew 21,629.

Rays fans, we’re beginning to see a pattern. The cowbells will begin arriving about (checks his watch), Oct. 1, shortly before the playoffs commence. Regular season winning doesn’t seem to bring the fans out for the Rays.

The Texas Rangers continue to reap the advantages of a winning season, and a near certain trip to the postseason in over a decade at the gate, as well as on television.

WEEKEND SERIES: The Rangers three-game weekend series with the New York Yankees attracted 137,396 fans, the 2nd highest total for a three date series ever in Arlington (Arlington Stadium or Rangers Ballpark in Arlington), behind only a 3-date series with the Yankees, May 21-24, 2004, that drew 148,894 fans.

FOR THE SEASON: Through 72 dates, the Rangers have drawn 2,199,563 fans to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington, an average of 30,549 that ranks as 5th best in the American League behind the Yankees (46,337), Angels (39,989), Twins (39,757), and Red Sox (37,617). That total is 43,547 fans more than the club attracted in 78 dates for all of 2009. The Rangers have experienced a 13.2% home attendance increase over the same point from 2009, the 3rd highest in the majors behind the Twins (39%) and Reds (15.1%).

TV RATINGS: Through games of Sunday, the Rangers are averaging a 3.6 Nielsen household rating in Dallas-Fort Worth on Fox Sports Southwest, a 32% increase over the same point in 2009. The all-time highest single season FSSW rating for Rangers telecasts is 3.5 in 1998. Friday’s Rangers-Yankees game on TXA21 had a Nielsen household rating of 6.5.

Major League Baseball is on pace to have attendance down slightly from last season’s total of 73,418,529, the fifth highest attended season in MLB history, but down from record numbers the year prior. Currently, attendance is down an average of just under 1 percent from last year at this time (-0.85 percent). Clubs are averaging 30,156 compared to 30,415 last season.

Leading the way in declines are the Mets, who are averaging 6,339 less per game than in their first season in CitiField. They are followed by the Indians, Blue Jays, and Brewers.

In terms of increases, the opening of the Twins’ new Target Field keeps MLB from trending downward further. The Twins are drawing an average of 11,091 per game than last season. They are followed by the Rangers (up an average of 3,006), Reds, Giants, and Padres.

Tonight the Houston Astros reached the 30 million mark in all-time attendance at Minute Maid Park, which first opened in 2000.

Prior to tonight’s 7:05 p.m. game vs. the New York Mets, the all-time attendance mark was at 29,981,380. In the 10-plus seasons of the ballpark, (2000-2010), the Astros have averaged close to 2.77 million in attendance per season.

The Astros will celebrate this attendance milestone as part of the ballclub’s annual Fan Appreciation Day on Sunday, October 3 during the 1:05 p.m. game vs. the Chicago Cubs, which will include several prizes for fans in attendance.

The Astros set a new Minute Maid Park single-game attendance record in 2010 with a crowd of 43,836 on Opening Day (April 5 vs. SF). The 30-million milestone includes just regular season attendance, and does not include the 14 postseason games that the Astros have hosted at Minute Maid Park, which have drawn an addtional 589,100 fans to the venue.

While the team has lost two in a row, and has gone 5-5 in the last 10, interest in the AL West leading Texas Rangers remains stronger with fans this year than last. After 57 dates, the club has drawn 1,624,804, up 41,900 from the 1,582,904 over the same number of games last season.

In related news, while ticket sales increases certainly isn’t all a factor of the group led Chuck Greenberg and Nolan Ryan winning the bankruptcy auction and confirmation of the Chapter 11 plan for the club on Weds. and Thurs. of last week, it hasn’t hurt. The Rangers report that since Thurs. morning they have sold 27,000 tickets. Also the club is expecting four straight crowds of 40,000+ fans this week when the Red Sox and Yankees come to Arlington, pushing the attendance total up further over last year’s attendance figure.

The Rangers announced late Monday afternoon that most tickets for games are soldout:

Tickets remain for all five games of the homestand but sales have been brisk, especially for the first four games:

Through Sunday, the Braves have drawn a total home attendance of 1,671,849 fans, an average of 30,960 per game. Through the same number of games at Turner Field last season, which came on July 31, they drew a total of 1,517,812, an average of 28,108 per game. The difference is nearly 3,000 more fans per game this season.

Based on total attendance to-date, the increase from this season to last is 10 percent.

Even more impressive, the Braves hosted the Yankees and Red Sox in back-to-back series last season for interleague drawing over 40,000 over six games.

The question will be how the fans turn out for the playoffs (should the Braves make it, of course). When the Braves had their incredible run of 11 straight postseason appearances, and 14 appearances over 15 seasons 1991-2005, attendance waned in the playoffs, a sign that it became more of an expectation for fans. Since '05, the team hasn't been back to the postseason. We're betting that if they make the playoffs, attendance will be up.

With a sellout in this afternoon’s game against the Texas Rangers, the fans of the Boston Red Sox have reached 600 consecutive regular season sellout games at Fenway Park extending their record of most consecutive sellouts in baseball history. The previous Major League Baseball record of 455, set by the Cleveland Indians between 1995-2001, was surpassed by Red Sox fans on September 8, 2008. The record streak began on May 15, 2003, in the second year of the new ownership.

“On behalf of John Henry, Tom Werner, and our entire organization, I would like to salute the fans of Red Sox Nation who have extended their own all-time Major League Baseball record to an astonishing 600 straight sellout games,” said Larry Lucchino, President/CEO. “We congratulate them for achieving this extraordinary milestone and for the passion and dedication they have for the game, for their team, and for their ballpark. We will continue to work hard to ensure that we are worthy of their loyal and steadfast support.”

The Red Sox players and coaches recognized the fans of Red Sox Nation for their significant accomplishment by tossing commemorative baseballs into the Fenway Park crowd at the start of Sunday’s game. Ownership, ushers and other staff members also distributed the commemorative baseballs to fans throughout the game.

LONGEST RECORDED REGULAR SEASON SELLOUT STREAKS IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

No. Team Years

600* Boston Red Sox 2003-2010

455 Cleveland Indians 1995-2001

203 Colorado Rockies 1995-1997

LONGEST RECORDED REGULAR SEASON SELLOUT STREAKS IN AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS HISTORY

NOTE: Maury Brown will be reporting from the All-Star Game Home Run Derby and All-Star Game beginning tonight.

Corey Hart hit 13 home runs in tonight’s State Farm Home Run Derby, giving fans a $13 discount off Field Outfield and Loge Outfield tickets for games on Friday, July 23 against Washington and Friday, August 6 vs. Houston.

The regular ticket price for Field Outfield seats is $40, and Loge Outfield is $30, meaning Field Outfield seats are now $27 and Loge Outfield seats are now $17. Tickets will go on sale tomorrow (Tuesday) beginning at 9 am CT through all of the normal outlets, including the Miller Park Box Office and Brewers.com. Please note that ticket supplies are limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis. For more information on this offer please visit brewers.com or call 414-902-4000. Service charges apply for online and phone orders.

Last year, Prince Fielder became the first Brewers to ever win the Derby, hitting 23 homers. Tickets were priced at just $5 for three games against the Padres thanks to the promotion. Those tickets sold out in just 15 minutes.

Stephen Strasburg got a no-decision yesterday in his game against the Mets, but he is still a winner at the gate. Tickets for Strasburg’s sixth start, and fourth at Nationals Park were selling at an average price of $54.06 on 7/1, the day before his start according to ticket reseller and research company SeatGeek.com. That would rank as the third highest average price of his four starts in DC. Average ticket price on the resale market tracked at $103.28 for his debut, $56.26 for his 6/18 start against the White Sox and $48.81 against the Royals in interleague.

Over the past 11 starts in which Strasburg was not the starter, tickets have sold for an average of $45.41 on the resale market. Today’s game against the Mets on 4th of July is reselling on the secondary market for $58.46.

Yesterday’s game at Nationals Park saw paid attendance 39,214, up 68.78 percent from the average of 23,234 that the Nationals drew at home leading up to yesterday’s game.

See recent average ticket resell prices on the secondary market for the Nationals, including today’s game on the 4th.